


Prison Made Not of Steel

by I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Multi, Off-screen Rape, Polyamory, Rape Aftermath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-11-14 19:40:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11214918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning/pseuds/I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning
Summary: ObiAniDala. One of the very few of my stories that does not have an Obi-Wan/Satine relationship.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inapplicable Quote:
> 
> A homophobe was menacing Kurt and Blaine, and Santana chased him away. Blaine says, “We could have handled that.”
> 
> Her response?
> 
> “It was more fun doing it together.” With a genuine smile.
> 
> — TV show "Glee"

 

 

 

The door groaned open, and someone was harshly thrown in backwards. Even as the cell sealed again, Anakin raised his head to find out who.

He felt so tired, so—

It was Obi-Wan.

His clothing had been taken, and he lay curled on the cold floor, shivering.

Anakin's first instinct was to offer him one of his tunics, but with his hands bound, he wouldn't be able to untangle them.

And with his ankles chained, he couldn't offer his leggings either.

“Hey,” Anakin rasped, wishing he was strong enough to use the Force to scan his friend, “it's good to see you.”

Obi-Wan sat up, back to Anakin, then peered around at him.

“Come sit.” Anakin inched over so that Obi-Wan could have the small stretch of wall and floor warmed by Anakin's body.  _He's going to catch cold._

Obi-Wan braced a knee, but it took two tries to stand, his head bowed and teeth clenched.

In the dim murk, Anakin saw blood trailing down his thighs, along with something else, not the right color for blood, glinting in the solitary gleam of light.

_Oh, Force._

Obi-Wan limped close, and Anakin stood to meet him. He steadied the older man with a gentle hand on his shoulder, but Obi-Wan hissed in pain. Anakin removed his hand to discover bruises in the shape of palm and fingers.

Horrified, Anakin's gaze sought Obi-Wan's, only to have his former master's fall away.

Anakin helped ease him to the cruel floor, then sat, and allowed Obi-Wan to rest his head on his lap, facing the door, so he wouldn't have to suffer eye contact.

“What did they do to you?” Anakin asked.

“What do you think?” Obi-Wan growled, sounding bitter, sounding angry— and then his expression crumpled and Anakin thought for sure he was going to cry.

But he didn't.

The anguish drained from his face, leaving him staring into the dark, a blank, listless expression on his face.

Anakin smoothed the hair back from Obi-Wan's cold brow, wishing there was something he could  _do_ for his other half.

Instead of filling the air with promises he couldn't keep, or threats against Obi-Wan's abusers, or demands for Obi-Wan to  _say_ what had happened or meaningless chatter about trivial things back home, Anakin simply sat in silence, soothing Obi-Wan's hair, staring at the door.

Obi-Wan lay still, a hand clutching at Anakin's knee.

As Obi-Wan's breathing grew more labored, the grip on Anakin's knee tightened to the point of actual pain.

Anakin felt the first briny drop that bled through his legging before he felt Obi-Wan's shoulders convulse.

And then his master was silently weeping, and Anakin just kept up his gentle stroking, tears burning his own eyes and cutting down his face.

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry you have to endure this._

_I'm sorry for it all._

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

Ahsoka came to bust them out.

Smiling, teasing, joking to the clones about having to rescue them  _again._ How helpless and useless they were.

“Not now, Ahsoka,” Anakin murmured.

She looked up at him, bewildered and hurt.

There were no visible wounds left on them. Not anymore.

But the marks had been left on Obi-Wan. He seemed to be unconsciously trying to make himself smaller, less noticed, and his eyes couldn't quite meet anyone else's.

Not even Anakin's.

Obi-Wan had fallen asleep that first night with his face still pressed into Anakin's leg.

When morning came, so did the shame. Obi-Wan had crawled to the other side of the cell and refused to look up, no matter what Anakin said.

And then the jailers had come for him again.

Anakin didn't know why the wanted Obi-Wan and not him. He would have thought himself in danger, but the guards barely looked at him.

Obi-Wan fought, screamed—

Anakin screamed his own threats—

None of it had mattered in the end.

 

* * *

 

_He did not know, he would never know, of the bribe offered by the master of the Sith to take one and leave the other alone._

_The only way to make Skywalker fall was to make Kenobi remove himself._

 

* * *

 

Anakin watched Obi-Wan fade in the coming days and weeks.

The hollowness of his eyes. The silence, broken only when absolutely necessary. The way he wouldn't stand close to anyone, always careful to keep a very definite bubble of space around himself. And usually a cloak too.

As if afraid too much of his body could be seen without its concealment. As if hiding in its massive depths could hide  _him_ from the hells of his own mind.

As if the image of an enshrouded Jedi could provide the courage his soul could not find.

Anakin reached out to him in every way he knew how, again and again and again, and Obi-Wan turned away every time.

Distraught, Anakin poured out his heart to Padmé, begging for ideas, help, and finally just crying muffled sobs into her lap as she caressed his head.

“I love him,” he choked. “I love him and I  _shouldn't_ because I love  _you—_ ”

“I know, Ani.”  
“I  _do_ love you, I love you so  _much—_ ”

“I know, Ani.”

“I just want to pin him to the wall and kiss his pain away, I want to see his eyes  _alive,_ Padmé, he's so dead—”

“That might frighten him, Ani.”

Anakin paused, risked a glance up into her face. “You're not angry?”

“Why would I be angry?”

“B—because it's cheating. I want to cheat.”  
“Ah— no. You don't. You clearly  _don't_ want to cheat. What you want is to love us both.”

“I'm afraid that if I offer him this, he's going to think I see him the way  _they_ did. That I just want to use him, since he knows I love you—”

“Perhaps we could both woo him, then.”

Anakin's eyes widened. “What?”

“I've been sexually attracted to that man since he first came to Naboo, Anakin.”

“You were a  _kid._ ”

“I was fourteen. And that's why he didn't notice me. But I definitely noticed  _him._ ”

“But—”

“And before you say anything more, you have  _no_ room to stand since you were  _nine._ ”

“Yeah.” Anakin grimaced. “Okay. But... you would want the three of us to have something? Together?”

“You jump from both of us dating him separately to all three of us in bed at once. I think we should take it a bit more slowly than that, Anakin.”

“I did  _not_ mean that!” Anakin protested, face flushing red as he realized he really...  _really..._ wanted to see Obi-Wan make Padmé incoherent.

 

* * *

 

Padmé half expected Anakin to screw this up.

In the end...

It wasn't Anakin.

Obi-Wan came over to her apartment as part of an investigation, looking so small and broken that it tore Padmé's heart open.

She led him in, had him sit on the couch and cuddled beside him.

His calm explanation didn't hitch, but there was fear building in his eyes.

_No, no, dear one. I will not hurt you._

She gave him the answers he was looking for, and as he made a movement to stand to leave, she stayed him with a light hand on his arm.

She leaned up and kissed his cheek, too close to his mouth, her eyes finding his and whispering love.

He bolted up and backwards, nearly sending her sprawling.

“How  _dare_ you!” he choked out, eyes wide with terror. “How  _could you_ ?”  
“How could I  _what_ ?” Padmé shot back. “How can I not care for a kind and gentle man, who—”

“Be quiet,” he snapped. “Don't you ever come near me again.”

And then he was out the door.

Padmé pressed her hand to her mouth and tried to fathom  _what_ had just happened.

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

Anakin came home to find Padmé launching into his chest and sobbing. “I'm sorry!”

The story came spilling out, and Anakin soothed his wife, stroking her hair and pressing soft kisses to her cheeks and forehead. “It's alright. You said he looked scared?”

“Yes. Like I was trying to hurt him.”

“Right now he thinks his only value is his sexuality. He's terrified of people seeing it, because he's afraid they'll stop seeing  _him_ and see only  _that_ and how they can exploit it. It's okay, Padmé, we'll fix this. Injured, wounded animals can be gentled with patience and—”

She stared up at him in mild horror.

“ _What?_ ”

“Did you just compare Obi-Wan to a terrified animal?”

“...Yes?”

Padmé lightly smacked his shoulder. “Anakin.”

“Guessing I shouldn't do that to his face?”  
“Probably not. Unless you want to send him into hysterical laughing, then sobbing, then screaming at you to get  _out._ ”

Anakin's eyes widened, he could actually  _see_ that picture, it was mildly terrifying— “I'll talk to him.”

“Maybe it's better if I try. That way he doesn't feel we're ganging up on him. It would be good if he could feel you to be a safe place during this.”

Anakin wasn't sure that's how Obi-Wan would see him... but...

 

* * *

 

She'd waylaid him.

And he  _knew_ it, despite her attempt to look natural and uncontrived. The instant he saw her his entire body stiffened, his eyes narrowed, and he tried to escape.

She'd planned for that.

“Why thank you for the offer, General Kenobi,” she said lightly, placing her hand in his elbow as if he'd offered it. “I would appreciate the escort.”

Too many people about for him to make an unnoticeable getaway now, and if there was one thing Obi-Wan was desperate about these days—

It was to not be noticed.

So he ducked his head and endured, bending his arm to allow her hand an actual hold.

“I think you and I got off on the wrong foot,” she murmured, and then felt her face flush as she realized how such a statement could be  _read,_ given the circumstances—

“Not at all,” he murmured back. “We're not going anywhere. At all.”

“Why do you think I made my interest known?”

His muscles tightened under her hand. “I do not know.” Obi-Wan's eyes turned mournful. “I've been asking myself for days. I can only conclude I must have somehow led you on, though that was  _never_ my intention, and I most sincerely  _apologize—_ ”

“Obi-Wan, you never did anything inappropriate. You were always the height of decorum.”

He fell silent.

“I decided to let you know because  _I want you._ ”

He recoiled from her in every way but physically, and she could  _feel_ it. “How could you  _do_ that to him?” he hissed. “Don't you know how desperately he  _loves you_ ? To angle for an affair with his  _best friend,_ what kind of  _woman_ are you? Clearly, I don't know you at  _all._ ”

“But Anakin's  _pleased_ with this—”

“Oh, I'm  _sure,_ ” Obi-Wan snarled. “He's never been willing to share what is his in his  _life._ Do you  _really_ think he would be willing to share  _sexual_ favors with me? Or allow you to find that kind of solace outside of him? Do—”

“He's in love with both of us, Obi-Wan. Not that he loves you, but he's  _in love_ with you.”

Obi-Wan snorted. “Right.”

“It's  _true._ ”

“And to spite him you try to frip me instead.”  
“This isn't about  _hurting him_ !”

“You will never convince me to believe that. His soul is so easily  _hurt,_ Padmé, he can't just  _laugh off_ an affair, do you  _honestly_ think—”

“We want to date you.  _Both of us._ ”

“I believe this is your office, Senator. Good day.” Obi-Wan's final words were in the same volume as her original ones, trapping her in the same way she had him moments before. He gave her a grim bow and fled.

_Okay, Anakin. You're going to have to deal with him._

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

Anakin, having received the emergency comm from his wife, escaped the droid repair room to investigate Obi-Wan's quarters. He tapped in the override code at the door, which he'd learned long ago, and found Obi-Wan weeping into the refresher sink.

Obi-Wan's eyes met his in the mirror, and Obi-Wan ducked his head, trying to stop and hide the tears in one gesture.

It made Anakin's heart hurt.

“What are you doing here?” Obi-Wan choked.

“You were in trouble. Where else would I be?”  
Obi-Wan's shoulders shuddered and he seemed to crumple in on himself. “Go away.”

“Padmé said there seems to have been a misunderstanding between you two.”

“Yes,  _yes._ I thought— I didn't think of what I said as flirting. You know how I am. I was surprised when she told me she did not appreciate it and asked me to back off. I'm sorry. I never meant it to seem like poaching—”

Anakin's heart utterly melted.

_Look at him. Risking_ our  _relationship to make sure mine with Padmé remains safe because he thinks that one is more important to me. You're wrong to lie, Obi-Wan, this isn't the way, but my_ Force,  _are you beautiful._

Anakin had stepped forward without meaning to, his hand resting lightly on Obi-Wan's arm.

The older man's gaze snapped to his face, a look of utter terror taking possession of him.

That's when Anakin realized he was afraid Anakin would  _harm_ him. Was waiting for Anakin to beat him, tell him he never wanted to see him again, threaten him against ever speaking to Padmé again—

“No,” Anakin whimpered, hand reaching out to brush Obi-Wan's cheek.

His master flinched, but didn't dare move.

“I want to kiss you,” is what came whispering out of his mouth.

Obi-Wan's expression went to utter horror in a millisecond.

“Please,” Obi-Wan rasped. “Please let me go.”

Anakin's hands fell away and he took a step back, making sure not to block the door.

But Obi-Wan didn't run. He braced his hands against the sink, trembling. “She knows what happened last time we were captured?”  
“Yes.”

He could see Obi-Wan's soul shatter in the mirror and it broke his heart.

“The first either of you have said about it is  _now_ .  _After._ I— I'm not a  _toy,_ Anakin, I'm not a  _conquest,_ and I'm not— I'm  _not—_ ” Obi-Wan couldn't  _breathe—_ “I'm not  _broken_ and  _easy pickings—_ please, don't  _do this to me._ ”

Anakin had to reach out to catch him, or Obi-Wan would have collapsed on the floor without trying to break his fall. As it was, he ended up with his back pressed to the wall and clutching his knees with thin,  _too_ thin arms.

“Please,  _hear_ me,” Anakin murmured, voice thickened with tears. “I have wanted  _every day_ since I was seventeen to kiss you. Padmé knew that when she married me. She  _wants you too._ Not just to have sex. You don't have to have sex with either of us if you don't want. I  _promise_ we will  _never_ push you on that. But we want  _you._ We want to hold you and cuddle you and prove you are worth  _everything,_ we want to cover your face in kisses and—”

Obi-Wan shuddered. “You can barely stand me,” he whispered. “You hated having me as your master, and there's days you just  _barely_ tolerate me now. You disapprove of half of the things I believe and live. You don't want  _me._ You want to ease the suffering of this poor, pathetic creature before you. It's kind, Anakin, except that it is cruel. Trying to ease suffering with promises of love is a short-term kindness and a long-term cruelty.”

“You would see us  _not_ holding you as cruel?” Anakin murmured, hope sparking in his heart.

“I—”

“If we meant this, if we weren't just trying to comfort you, would you want us?”

Obi-Wan curled in on himself more.

“Obi-Wan?”

“Leave me,” Obi-Wan whimpered. “Don't— please,  _don't—_ ”

“Would you want me? Want Padmé?”

And then Obi-Wan's arms went utterly limp.

“Why hide,” he murmured, voice so  _dead,_ “when all dignity has already been stripped away? Why not take away any respect you have for me too?”  
Anakin wanted to adjust his crouching position—his knee hurt— but he didn't dare move. “What are you saying, Obi-Wan?”

“The Senator.” Obi-Wan's voice went near inaudible. “I'm in love with your wife.”  
Anakin's mind couldn't quite make sense of the words.

“Kill me,” Obi-Wan whispered without looking up. “Make it look like a suicide. No one will doubt it. I know it's what you want, I just— I need you to know I would  _never_ have betrayed you, no matter what it  _cost_ me, I would  _never—_ I'm  _sorry—_ ”

And then Anakin was kissing him, tears streaming down his face just as painfully as Obi-Wan's.

Obi-Wan's lips parted to his gentle assault, and then panic flooded into Anakin's senses as Obi-Wan tried to cower away from him.

“No,” Obi-Wan begged, near hyperventilating. “ _Please,_ don't, not  _like them._ Beat me, throw me out of a speeder, put your saber through my heart but  _please don't rape me—_ ”

Anakin recoiled, scrambling backwards until his own back hit the far wall. “Obi-Wan, I would  _never,_ sweet  _Force_ , how am I not making myself clear? Obi-Wan, I'm  _not angry you love Padmé._ I'm delighted, it turns me  _on,_ Obi-Wan,  _please,_ I don't want to hurt you!”

Broken eyes stared back into his, a broken body hugging itself, a broken soul terrified of reprisal.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

“Please,” Anakin soothed, “try to sense what I'm feeling in the Force.”

He felt Obi-Wan slowly uncoil, hesitantly reach out—

Confusion joined the fear, slightly dulling the edge of terror.

“I don't understand,” Obi-Wan whispered.

Anakin drew in a shaking breath. “I love you. I'm  _in_ love with you, I'm  _in_ love with Padmé and I need  _both_ of you in my life. She wants the chance to fall in love with you. She doesn't just want your body. She admires your  _soul._ She wants a chance to get close to  _that._ If you never want to have sex with us, Obi-Wan, that's  _alright._ We just want to love you. And if you already love her in return...”

“Why aren't you beating me? Isn't— isn't it a  _betrayal?_ ”

“Not when I  _want_ it.”

Obi-Wan's gaze fell away. “You're afraid I'm going to kill myself.  _That's_ why you're reaching out.”

“No. I mean,  _yes._ I'm  _terrified_ to think you might find life so lonely, so painful you wouldn't want to try anymore. I want to drive all loneliness  _so far away_ from you that it's simply a bad dream.”

“Please,” Obi-Wan whispered.

Anakin searched his face. “Please what?”

“Save me.” And then Obi-Wan was crying again; humiliated, heaving sobs.

Anakin gathered him in his arms and simply held him, rocking against the pain, singing a gentle lullaby his mother used to use for him.

Obi-Wan clung to him.

 

* * *

 

Padmé did  _not_ expect her husband to return home with someone else in tow.

Seeing Obi-Wan step hesitantly into her home, his eyes flicking around, as if trying to see if he should  _ bolt— _

Padmé simply stood still and waited, refusing to make any sudden movements or speak, lest she startle him and frighten him away.

_ And now  _ I'm  _ thinking about him like a wild creature. _

Anakin could be a bad influence at times.

“Obi-Wan hasn't been sleeping. He's too afraid.”

Obi-Wan cringed. “Could you try not to make me sound so weak?”  
“Not weak, Master Jedi,” Padmé found her voice, “reasonable.”  
He tried to meet her gaze but couldn't quite.

“Come on,” Anakin whispered.

“I'm not— not sure this is a good—”

“Just to sleep,” Padmé promised. “Nothing else. Let us protect you tonight. Trust us enough for that, please.”  
“Can you protect me from yourselves?” Obi-Wan's question was so quiet she nearly couldn't hear it, and he sounded so  _ young,  _ so  _ afraid— _

“Always,” she promised.

At which point he nodded and allowed Anakin to lead him to the bedroom.

They settled him in the middle of the massive bed, Padmé sleeping near the edge of one side, back turned to him, fully clothed, and Anakin, on his back, also covered, face turned away from Obi-Wan.

“Nothing will harm you tonight,” Anakin whispered.

Obi-Wan held still for hours on end. Padmé waited, waited...

Finally her patience paid off. She turned, saw him limp, tears still on his lashes, lips slightly parted because he couldn't breathe through his nose, looking like a lost child.

Anakin lifted himself up on an elbow to gaze at his former master's beauty and fragility as well.

Their gazes met over his body, a silent promise to one another that they would  _ always  _ protect their third. However he needed them, they would be there.

Padmé scooted just a little closer, but kept rolled away from him, and Anakin decided to be even more daring.

He snuggled up against Obi-Wan's side, nose tucked in his throat, arms kept carefully to himself in case Obi-Wan awoke feeling trapped.

 

* * *

 

Obi-Wan awoke to find himself completely surrounded.

Somehow, the knowledge didn't send his heart into his throat.

Padmé's hair, so close to his face, smelled so beautiful. The line of her shoulder, softened in sleep...

Obi-Wan's instinctive recoil away from the thought paused as Anakin placed a hand on his arm.

Obi-Wan turned his head to look at the man cuddled up against his side like a sprawled tooka.

“I love it,” Anakin whispered, “when you look at her like that.” He leaned forward and kissed the tip of Obi-Wan's nose.

It was the most  _ ridiculous  _ thing Obi-Wan had  _ ever  _ experienced—

“Could I kiss you?” Obi-Wan found himself asking.

Anakin's eyes softened with utter pleasure. “Yes.”

 

* * *   


Anakin watched him closely. Watched Obi-Wan's eyes drop to his lips to make sure he didn't miss his aim, saw that once they were sure he wouldn't make a mistake, they  _rolled up in his head_ as his own lips parted.

Sweet  _Force._

Anakin met the gesture, his metal hand coming up to cradle Obi-Wan's head.

After a few moments of gentle caress, Obi-Wan pulled back, unsure. “Is that how it's supposed to be done?” he asked.

_No, it can't be..._

“Your first?” he breathed.

Obi-Wan blushed and looked away.

Anakin kicked himself,  _hating_ that he hadn't  _thought more_ before—

“First I chose.”

Anakin touched his chin, brought his face up again so he could look into those eyes. “It was beautiful. And if it was the first one you chose, then it  _is_ your first kiss. The others don't count. I want to wash away the memory of them with the life  _you_ want.”  
Obi-Wan tucked his head against Anakin's chest. “Just hold me,” he whispered.

And Anakin did, and could sense his wife's smile.

 

 


End file.
